


Force of Will

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [56]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 16:14:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7059958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(January-February 2013) Sporting a brand-new forcefield-based battlesuit built by an enslaved Lady Blue that replaces his lost psychokinetic powers, the psionic supervillain Menton comes looking for Starforce.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Force of Will

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : language, mature situations
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **heroes**
> 
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce I), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Craig Nguyen (AKA Blink), leader of the New York City-area supergroup 'The Justice Squadron', teleporter/gadgeteer
>   * Robert Caliburn, Archmage of Earth, supermage and gun collector
> 

> 
> **The Sentinels (NYC-area supergroup)**
> 
>   * James 'Whit' Whitley (AKA Diamond, expy of the Thing in the CU timeline)
>   * Stacy Armitrage (AKA Diadem), psionic
>   * Jocelyn Sher (AKA Starforce II), daughter of Bob Hawkins, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
> 

> 
> **Texas Guard, new Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex supergroup**
> 
>   * Dr. Matthew Fuseli (AKA Biomaster), mutant neurokinetic manipulator and reformed master supervillain
>   * Nathan Hawkins (AKA Relativity), son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, speedster
>   * Jacqueline 'Jackie' Drake (AKA Arachne), mutant martial artist/gadgeteer
>   * Laura Hawkins (AKA Chrona), daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, time-elemental
>   * Cody Snyder (AKA Minuteman II), ch'i-based martial artist
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Alejandro Medina (AKA Menton), disgustingly-powerful mentalist
>   * Dr. Tara Lemick (AKA Lady Blue), power-armor wearer/social justice warrior
>   * Sergei Varinnikov (AKA Warlord), President-for-Life of the Republic of Central Asia, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer
> 

> 
> **others**
> 
>   * Shina Arikawa, head of domestic staff for Dormyer Manor (Julie's 'Alfred')
>   * James Hawkins, son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, gadgeteer
>   * Jillian Hawkins (AKA Firewall), daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, cyberkinetic
>   * D'Brel Ch'ggeb Koraskin, Surgeon Commander, Varanyi Star Galleon _G'U'Radic_
> 

> 
> * * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. Early Saturday evening [roughly 1/26/2013])

(In the Library, a trophy case containing Bob and Julie's armor from late 1992 slides forward and to the side. Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins steps out of the elevator from his private labs just in time to hear the front door open.)

(Bob opens the door from the library to the foyer and sees Nathan 'Relativity' Hawkins, Laura 'Chrona' Hawkins, James Hawkins, and Matt 'Biomaster' Fuseli enter. Nathan and Laura look tired and hurt. Matt has a small cooler with him)

 **Chrona** (to Matt): "Mom and Dad never trained like this before their first adventures! Why are you running us so ragged?"

 **Biomaster** : "When I fought your parents as a supervillain, it was a simpler time. If I'm going to be responsible for you as a superHERO, you're going to be as ready as I can *make* you!"

 **Starforce** (deadpan, leaning against the door frame): "Wow. What a hardass."

 **Biomaster** (to Bob): "If you were in my position, you'd do the exact same thing. Admit it."

 **Starforce** : "True." (looks at Nathan) "No date tonight?"

 **Relativity** : "Jackie's as wrung out as I am." (staggers toward the stairs, exhausted) "If you don't mind, Dad, I'm going upstairs to pass out for a day."

 **Starforce** : "I made chili..."

 **Relativity** (halfway up the stairs, over his shoulder): "That's why God created microwave ovens, isn't it?"

(Nathan vanishes toward his room)

 **Chrona** : "That actually sounds like a good idea."

 **Starforce** : "Chili?"

 **Chrona** (giving Bob a quick peck on the cheek): "Bed. G'night, Dad."

(Laura goes upstairs and heads for her room. Bob looks at James)

 **Starforce** : "And what's Matt had YOU doing?"

 **James** : "Working on a drone capability for that superpowered tank you gave him for Christmas."

(Bob looks at James, then to Matt)

 **Starforce** : "Exactly WHAT do you expect to be doing with the Biomobile?"

 **Biomaster** : "I'm not sure yet. I like keeping my options open."

 **Starforce** : "That was intended to get you and your new team to a battle site intact!"

 **Biomaster** : "You rather over-engineered it for that task alone. Certain other support roles suggested themselves once I got familiar with it."

 **James** : "Perhaps now might be a bad time to mention the grenade launcher I added last week?"

(awkward pause, while Bob silently mouths the phrase 'grenade launcher')

 **Starforce** (to James): "Yeah. It might."

 **James** (sprinting up the stairs two at a time): "Call me when the chili's ready, Dad!"

(Bob watches James vanish toward his room, then turns to Matt)

 **Starforce** : "If I could've looked forward in time 30 years ago and seen tonight, I'd think that you had enslaved my children."

 **Biomaster** : "Robert, PLEASE! I brought them all *into* the world..."

 **Starforce** (clapping his shoulder and smiling): "Matt, relax. I'm yanking your chain."

 **Biomaster** (unzipping the cooler): "Good. It means I can still share these with you while I discuss their training regimen."

(he shows the contents of the cooler to Bob -- two bottles of Alpha Strike)

 **Starforce** (nodding toward the kitchen): "Let's go get a bottle opener."

(they start walking toward the kitchen)

 **Starforce** : "So how does it feel to finally organize your own superteam?"

 **Biomaster** : "Nerve-wracking. You now know why I've been resisting everyone requesting I start one up for the past decade."

(Matt glances into the Dining Room and sees the holographic display on with windows scattered everywhere. Jillian Hawkins is busy typing on a virtual keyboard while Julie 'Ladyhawk' Hawkins supervises)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Matt): "I thought I heard you come in."

 **Jillian** (not looking away from the holodisplay): "Hey, Uncle Matt."

 **Biomaster** : "You guys look really busy..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Got a hit on Menton in Switzerland." (sips a mug of herbal tea while walking over to Bob and Matt) "What I can't figure out is why he's buying obstetrical equipment."

 **Starforce** : "Okay, that's weird."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Tell me about it." (kisses Bob) "I'll keep you posted."

 **Starforce** : "Love you, Ninjette."

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry): "See you tonight, Nerd-boy."

 **Jillian** (not looking away from the holodisplay): "Ewwwww."

(Bob and Julie roll their eyes in unison, shake their heads, and share a chuckle)

(Bob and Matt head into the kitchen next. Matt wanders over to the crock pot set up on a counter while Bob rummages around in a drawer. As Matt puts his hand on the lid to lift it, a spoon swats it)

 **Shina** (from behind Matt): "Wait you turn, like everyone else."

 **Biomaster** : "Ms. Arikawa! I did NOT hear you enter..."

 **Shina** : "Out, both of you! The garlic bread isn't going to make itself..."

(Shina makes a 'shoo' gesture to both Bob and Matt, who exit through the Breakfast nook for the Great Room)

 **Biomaster** : "Why did the shuriken on the refrigerator have a Presidential Medal of Freedom hanging off of it?"

 **Starforce** : "That's the refrigerator magnet we used to take Rochemont down last year. The medal is the one Bush 41 awarded to me post-Detroit."

 **Biomaster** (laughing as they locate seats): "I still can't believe the story behind Rochemont's takedown."

 **Starforce** (handing Matt the bottle opener he liberated from the kitchen): "I just wish I can find a way to take Menton down that's just as easy. I've been wargaming battle scenarios against him for a week."

(Matt takes the caps off the bottles and hands one to Bob)

 **Biomaster** : "Who'd you have fighting him?"

 **Starforce** : "Me, Julie, Ted, and Olivia." (takes a pull from his bottle) "Best case scenario that I've gamed, I was the last man standing."

 **Biomaster** : "You found a winning scenario, though..."

 **Starforce** (anguished): "Matt, everyone else was DEAD!"

 **Biomaster** : "Oh." (beat) "What about you and me versus Menton?"

 **Starforce** : "I don't need a computer to model THAT. First action Menton takes is to possess you. I go down mere seconds after that, unable to configure my forcefield to deal with the crossfire of his psionics, his telekinesis, and your neurokinesis."

 **Biomaster** (taking a pull from his bottle): "Damn."

 **Starforce** : "It's going to have to be an en-masse attack, just like attacking Doctor Destroyer at Amchitka or Detroit." (shakes his head) "With a body count to match."

 **Biomaster** : "What was it the Liberty League's leader used to say? We knew the job was dangerous when we put the cape on?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "Yeah."

* * *

(Aviano AFB, Italy. One week later)

(A ProStar PowerJet taxis up to the UNTIL hangar on base. As it powers down, the door folds down from the fuselage. Starforce flash-steps down, followed seconds later by Ladyhawk at more normal speed. Whit 'Diamond' Whitley, Jocelyn 'Starforce II' Sher, Stacy 'Diadem' Armitrage, and Craig 'Blink' Nguyen wait in the hangar to greet them)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Diamond): "Whit!"

 **Diamond** : "Julie! Bob!"

(Diamond bear-hugs Ladyhawk and Starforce)

 **Starforce** : "Ooof... How's it going?"

 **Diamond** (laughing): "Busy keeping your daughter out of trouble. I haven't had this much excitement in years!"

(Starforce looks at Craig and Jocelyn hovering very close to each other. They notice this)

 **Blink/Jocelyn** (to Starforce, too quickly): "We're just friends."

 **Starforce** (smiling): "Riight..."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Diamond): "Any changes?"

 **Diamond** : "Tetsuronin got a hit for an interdiction field near Davos when he left the meeting there two days ago. UNTIL pulled some strings with the Republic of Central Asia's space assets, and we have Menton's location narrowed down to a single mountain near Liechtenstein."

 **Jocelyn** : "I cross-correlated with your forensics investigation, and it's really close to the medical supply purchase you caught last week."

 **Blink** : "UNTIL is building up a major assault force at Ramstein, in conjunction with Tetsuronin and as many European heroes as can be spared from dealing with other problems."

 **Diadem** : "They're the distraction. WE'RE the main assault."

 **Starforce** : "That sounds like a Ted Jameson plan, alright."

 **Ladyhawk** (looking at the 4 NYC-area heroes): "This is all that are available?"

 **Blink** : "UNTIL has credible intelligence on Eurostar staging an attack on the United Nations within the next 48 hours."

 **Diadem** : "This is all that can be spared from both the Justice Squadron and Sentinels." (beat) "Menton probably asked his twin sister to do something like this when he was ready to move."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Sergei 'Warlord' Varinnikov materializes in full kit 15 feet from Starforce)

 **Starforce** (bringing forcebeams to full charge): "BLOODY HELL!!"

 **Warlord** : "Stand down, brother. I'm here as your ally." (beat) "And to show off the teleporter on my flagship the _Tashkent_."

(Starforce slowly relaxes)

 **Starforce** : "You could've warned us..."

 **Warlord** : "Menton is as much a threat to me as he is to the rest of you." (beat) "Director-General Jameson was MOST surprised when I called to unconditionally volunteer my assistance."

(a seedy-looking man in worn clothes strolls out of the shadows up to the gathering party of superhumans, lighting a cigarette with his finger)

 **Man** : "Why the hell are we standin' around here talkin'? We got a mission to perform..."

 **Jocelyn** (whispered to Ladyhawk): "Who is HE?"

 **Ladyhawk** (whispering): "Robert Caliburn, archmage and gun nut. VERY handy to have around in a fight."

 **Starforce** (to Jocelyn): "2002, Indonesia. A three-way fight between the Crowns of Krim, Takofanes, and Shadow Destroyer threatened to unleash another Toba Catastrophe. He helped prevent it."

 **Jocelyn** (beat): "Oh."

(everyone looks at each other nervously)

 **Diamond** : "So who's gonna be our tactical leader?"

 **Caliburn** (pointing to Warlord): "Personally, I recommend the guy with the machine gun on his left arm."

 **Warlord** (beat, surprised): "Okay, then. Ladyhawk and Blink, you're my scouts."

 **Blink/Ladyhawk** : "Acknowledged."

 **Warlord** : "Ms. Starforce, you're my air support."

 **Jocelyn** : "Yes, sir."

 **Warlord** : "Diadem, you will keep us all mind-linked *and* keep us protected from mental threats."

 **Diadem** : "I'll work better at that job *behind* the front lines."

 **Warlord** : "I'm getting to that." (turns to Diamond) "Diamond, Mr. Caliburn, and I will be the big guns."

 **Diamond** : "Oh. Yeah."

 **Warlord** (to Starforce): "Robert, run Mission Control and protect Diadem. You're also my tactical reserve should I need it."

 **Starforce** (nods): "So there's no confusion when you shout an order to Starforce in battle. Not a problem."

(everyone looks at Diamond. You would, too, since he's been a superhero for longer than everyone else has been alive)

 **Diamond** : "What are we waitin' for, guys?"

* * *

(UNTIL Airborne Personnel Carrier APC-4521, northbound over eastern Switzerland. 45 minutes later)

 **Diamond** (sitting in the pilot's seat, growling): "So what's the holdup now?"

 **Jocelyn** : "The base's interdiction field is physically within the mountain itself. We can't take it out as simply as UNTIL and TASK FORCE took out the one around Eisenfestung last year."

 **Ladyhawk** (sitting in the co-pilot's seat): "Yoshi had to modify one of his disruption bombs with a ground penetration package. There was no time to test-drop the device from an airplane, so he's performing the bomb run himself."

 **Warlord** : "As a result, it would not be a good idea for me to be in the same airspace as Tetsuronin for the next minute."

 **Starforce** (beat, to the rest of the cabin): "Warlord and Tetsuronin have a history. One that involves a lot of punching and exchanges of ranged weapons fire."

 **Warlord** : "I prefer to call it 'live fire testing'."

 **Starforce** (deadpan): "Yoshi prefers to call it 'damned annoying'."

(a chuckle of laughter goes through the APC's cabin)

 **Jocelyn** (to Ladyhawk): "Is he always this way before a battle."

 **Ladyhawk** : "It's his way of dealing with pre-combat jitters. I'd be worried if he *wasn't* snarking."

 **Jocelyn** : "How do *you* deal with them?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Watch."

(Ladyhawk gets out of the co-pilot's seat, walks over to Starforce, and knocks on his faceplate. It pops open)

 **Ladyhawk** (sultry, to Starforce): "Aren't you forgetting something, Nerd-boy?"

(they embrace and share a passionate kiss)

 **Starforce** (eyes sparkling): "Not any more, Ninjette."

(his faceplate slides back into place. Ladyhawk saunters past Jocelyn back to the co-pilot's seat, smiling)

(There is a tap on Jocelyn's shoulder. She turns to see Blink)

 **Blink** (impish grin): "Could you help me with MY pre-combat jitters?"

(more laughter. Jocelyn blushes and smiles)

 **Starforce** (looking off into space): "Showtime, people. Tetsuronin has released the package."

(the mood suddenly gets serious. Outside, a streak of light spears out of the sky and hits the mountain in front of them)

 **Starforce** (to Jocelyn): "Two-second fuse?"

(the mountain crawls with lightning)

 **Jocelyn** : "Looks about right." (manipulates some controls on the console next to her) "Interdiction field is down within the mountain!"

 **Warlord** (popping the rear hatch): "Robert, you're up. Hangar doors."

 **Starforce** : "On it."

(he leaps out the back of the APC, lights his forcefield and flight, and streaks in front of the APC toward the oncoming mountain)

 **Starforce** (murmuring while focusing on one specific place of the mountain face with ground-penetrating radar): "Not much of a camouflage job from this angle..."

(Starforce 60 STR area-effect TK yanks the entire hangar door out of its frame and into the ravine below. A large hangar full of advanced aircraft appears, dug directly into the face of the mountain)

 **Starforce** (flying in, loud voice): "Delivery for Alejandro Medina? I need somebody to sign for it." (beat) "Anybody?"

(the APC comes in and lands behind Starforce. The team streams out as he lands)

 **Starforce** (to Warlord): "It's quiet, Sergei." (beat) "Too quiet."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Nerd-boy's got a point, Warlord. We've NEVER had an uncontested entry of a Destroyer-base in our careers."

 **Warlord** : "Then let's take advantage of it while we can. Robert, Mission Control. Diadem, mind-link everyone if you would please, then indulge yourself in the spot of mental jamming we discussed on our way in."

(a purple light glows incandescent on Diadem's forehead)

 **Diadem** : ((can everyone hear me?))

(the rest of the team nods)

 **Diadem** : ((good. One mountain-sized mental darkness field coming up))

* * *

(APC-4521, Hangar Bay, Alpenfestung II. Two minutes later)

(Starforce sits in the APC's cabin, with multiple flatscreens displaying data and a freestanding hologram of the base projected to his side. Diadem stands on the other side of the hologram, also looking at the rest of the strike force advancing through Alpenfestung)

 **Starforce** : ((elevators should be 40 meters ahead on the left. Blink and Ladyhawk, you're actually past them))

 **Diamond** : ((STILL nothing! I can't believe it. Menton *had* to notice us landing))

 **Diadem** : ((he can't do anything about it until he can physically see you guys. That's why Warlord wanted me to mentally blind him))

(tense pause)

 **Starforce** (to Diadem): "Last I heard, you were trying to retire."

 **Diadem** : "I was." (beat) "Director-General Jameson's wife wanted to go on this mission, but since she just started her third trimester he flat-out *vetoed* her participation"

 **Starforce** (beat): "You're not upset, are you?"

 **Diadem** : "Not anymore." (beat, blushing) "I haven't told anyone else yet, but Paolo and I are finally pregnant."

 **Starforce** (smiling): "Well, good for you!"

 **Blink** : ((DESTROIDS! Headed toward you, Warlord!))

 **Starforce** : ((looks like Menton's activated Destroyer's old robots to replace his psionic senses))

 **Warlord** : ((Starforce, Caliburn, with me on point. Blink, status))

 **Blink** : ((Ladyhawk and I are cut off from you))

 **Starforce** (typing frantically): ((no pressure, but I've got sensor traces for hundreds of Destroids waking up all across the complex))

 **Diamond** : ((things are finally getting fun))

 **Warlord** : ((Robert, any chance you can do something about the Destroids?))

 **Starforce** (typing frantically): ((already working on it))

(tense pause. Beyond the far end of the hangar comes the sound of automatic weapons fire)

 **Jocelyn** : ((good thing they aren't immune to bullets))

 **Caliburn** : ((good thing the corridor's so narrow here. Can't miss 'em when they're grouped THIS tight))

 **Warlord** : ((okay, that's the first squad. Any more between us and the elevator?))

 **Starforce** (typing frantically): ((negative))

 **Warlord** : ((where are we heading?))

 **Starforce** (typing frantically): ((I'm picking up a massive electrogravitic flux trace two floors down. From the strength, it's gotta be Menton))

 **Warlord** : ((Blink, you've got the non-flyers. Starforce, spot an LZ for Blink on that floor. Everyone else, with me))

 **Starforce** (typing frantically): ((it is SO freaky to be hearing the name 'Starforce' but knowing it's not me))

 **Jocelyn** (amused): ((you should have suggested a different name for me, then)) (beat) ((this floor?))

 **Starforce** (looking at display): ((yeah))

 **Jocelyn** : ((okay, forcing the door...)) (beat) ((whoa, LOTS of dead Destroids in the corridor, both directions))

 **Starforce** : ((oh good. It worked))

 **Jocelyn** : ((you hacked the local Sennacherib node?))

 **Starforce** : ((got it in one. With a little bit of help))

 **Jocelyn** : ((say hi to Jillian for me when you get back)) (beat) ((there's the LZ, Blink))

 **Blink** : ((got it. Porting... Now))

(Starforce's bile rises in his throat, and he barely keeps himself from throwing up)

 **Starforce** : ((damn. I've never experienced what teleportation feels like over a mind link))

 **Diadem** : ((sorry))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Kent would do it all the time while Vikon had us mind-linked in the old days, Nerd-boy. Why didn't it ever happen before?))

 **Starforce** : ((Vikon would switch off half a second before the teleport and reactivate it half a second afterw...))

 **Warlord** : ((guys? Focus))

 **Starforce** : ((sorry. Head left, the electrogravitic source is in that direction))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((can you kill the corridor lights so I can attack from surprise?))

 **Starforce** : ((Sergei?))

 **Warlord** : ((do it))

 **Starforce** (tap tap tap): ((and done))

* * *

(Floor Caesar, Alpenfestung II. One second later)

 **Warlord** : ((here's the plan. Ladyhawk, do you have flash attacks?))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((yes))

 **Warlord** : ((use them. Diadem has taken his mental senses out of the fight, you'll take his eyes out as well. Starforce, your father had an attack that could disrupt forcefields))

(back in the APC, Bob mentally bites his tongue to keep from responding)

 **Jocelyn** : ((I have something similar))

 **Warlord** : ((that's what you'll hit him with. Diamond, punch him in the face as hard and as frequently as you can))

 **Diamond** : ((I'm liking this plan already))

 **Warlord** : ((all of you, try to stay out of my firing solution. I will be using a Vari-Beam I stole from Tetsuronin's company at full power while the rest of you are busy))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((you're keeping Menton from reallocating his forcefield to deal with any one of our attacks! Just like Rochemont did to Bob last year above our house...))

 **Warlord** : ((precisely, Mrs. Hawkins))

 **Blink** : ((now how do we get him into our killbox?))

 **Starforce** : ((that problem is about to take care of itself. The electrogravitic contact is now moving toward you))

(tense pause)

(the darkened corridor makes it easier to see the glowing figure come around the corner and stride toward the heroes. The featureless golden face becomes transparent as the figure stops 20 feet away from them, and Menton stares at them all with a malignant gleam in his eye and a cruel smile on his lips)

 **Menton** (focusing on Jocelyn, whose forcefield is rippling): "Such a beautiful, glowing flower of womanhood." (eyes flare with psionic power) "Your mind will be a terrible thing to lay waste."

(Her forcefield sparkles in response. His Mental Blast has no effect on her since she *just* reallocated her forcefield to have 40 Mental Defense)

 **Jocelyn** (bringing her arm up, forcebeams warming up for discharge): "A shame you won't have a second chance."

 **Warlord** (bringing right arm up, Vari-beam warming up for discharge): "NOW."

(from the Destroids piled up just to Menton's right, Ladyhawk leaps into the air like a jack-in-the-box and slams a shuriken set to flash-bang into his eyes. Menton is blind and deaf for 1 phase [she rolled REALLY good to get past his Flash Defense!]. Ladyhawk pushes off his head and tumbles into a three-point stance behind Menton and well out of everyone else's line of fire. Another shuriken is already in her free hand)

(Warlord Vari-beam set to APx1 & Reduced END does 34 STUN to Menton)

(Diamond half-moves to one side and punches Menton for 21 STUN)

(on Menton's other side after a half-move, Jocelyn hits with a 6d6 continuous Forcefield drain, removing 2 PD, 2 ED, 1 Power Defense, 1 Sight Flash Defense, and 1 Hearing Flash Defense from his forcefield)

(Between Ladyhawk and Menton, Robert Caliburn steps out of the shadows and flicks his lit cigarette at Menton, the Flame Gem underneath his t-shirt glowing with power)

 **Caliburn** : "Everyone tells me these things'll kill ya..."

(the cigarette turns into a fireball [2d6 RKA Penetratingx2] that explodes against Menton's Force Armor for 2 BODY and 6 STUN)

(Down to 9 STUN, Menton reaches toward a button on his belt and presses it)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

 **Diamond** : ((aw CRUD!))

* * *

(APC-4521, one second later)

 **Starforce** : ((confirm quantum-displacement teleportation flare in your vicinity))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Just a few more seconds, and we would have had him. Damn))

(beat. Everyone catches their breath)

 **Warlord** : ((anything else we need to worry about?))

 **Starforce** : ((I am now detecting a single life form, your level, 25 meters to your right. Scans as human. Also, a weak response for electrogravitics in the same location))

 **Jocelyn** : ((on it))

(tense pause)

 **Jocelyn** : ((Ladyhawk, your assistance please?))

 **Warlord** : ((Starforce, status?))

(Bob catches himself almost answering AGAIN)

 **Jocelyn** : ((I'm in a lab. There is a small blue-green jumpsuit draped over a counter which scans positive for electrogravitics. There is also a Caucasian female, blonde, approximate age 50, alive and wedged underneath a lab bench))

 **Ladyhawk** : ((Bob, I think you need to get here. We found Lady Blue))

 **Starforce** (getting up from the control console, grabbing a first-aid kit on the APC's bulkhead): ((on the way))

(he freezes at the back hatch of the APC and looks at Diadem)

 **Diadem** : "I'll be fine! GO!!"

* * *

(Laboratory, Alpenfestung II. One second later)

(Ladyhawk runs into the lab. Jocelyn is looking at Tara underneath the lab bench)

 **Caliburn** (to Jocelyn and Ladyhawk): ((Dr. Lemick is *very* traumatized right now. Go easy with her))

(Jocelyn gets on her hands and knees to make eye contact with Tara)

 **Jocelyn** : "Hi. What's your name?"

 **Lady Blue** (beat): "T... Ta... Tara."

 **Jocelyn** : "I'm Jocelyn, Tara."

 **Lady Blue** : "Wh... why are you wearing Bob's suit?"

 **Jocelyn** (brow furrowed): "Bob? Bob Hawkins?"

(Tara nods nervously)

 **Jocelyn** : "I'm his daughter."

(Ladyhawk kneels by Jocelyn. Warlord, Robert Caliburn, Diamond, and Blink now enter the lab)

 **Lady Blue** : "J... Julie Warbucks?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You're going to be all right, Dr. Lemick."

 **Lady Blue** : "Are you going to find my son?"

(Ladyhawk and Jocelyn look at each other, confused)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Excuse me?"

 **Lady Blue** : "My son. H... he took my son away from me! I can still hear him crying..."

(Bob flies in with the first aid kit)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob while standing): "She's babbling about her son being taken from her." (beat, hissing) "What the HELL did Menton *do* to her?"

 **Starforce** (handing the first-aid kit to Ladyhawk): "Oh, boy."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I'll need her out from under the lab bench if I'm going to treat her."

(Bob nods, then gets to his hands and knees next to Jocelyn, popping his faceplate open)

 **Lady Blue** : "Bob?"

 **Starforce** (softly): "Hi, Tara."

 **Lady Blue** : "Mark I, Bob. Mark I!"

(Bob looks at Jocelyn. He misses a Deduction roll)

 **Jocelyn** (to Bob): "That's different."

 **Starforce** (beat, softly): "Tara, we're all here to help you. Do you understand?"

 **Lady Blue** : "Yes..."

 **Starforce** (softly): "To do that, I need you to come out from under the lab bench."

(Tara nods)

 **Starforce** (holding his hand out): "Can you do that for me, Tara?"

(trembling, she reaches out and touches her hand. Long pause, then Bob gently closes his hand around hers)

 **Starforce** (softly): "That's it, Tara. Come on out."

(using Bob's hand as guidance, she slowly inches out from under the bench. Once fully out, he lights his forcefield to levitate them both so they can stretch their legs out)

 **Starforce** : "There, now. I have you." (beat) "I'm going to sit you on top of the bench now so Julie can make sure you're OK."

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Lady Blue** : "All right..."

(he puts her gently on top of the lab bench, then kills his forcefield. He starts to move away, but Tara won't let go of his hand)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Bob): "It's OK. You seem to have a calming influence on her." (to Jocelyn) "Can you get me some water, please?"

 **Jocelyn** (nodding): "On it."

 **Lady Blue** (to Jocelyn as she walks away): "Please find my son, Jocelyn!"

 **Caliburn** (murmured): "We need to get her stabilized and get her out of here ASAP."

 **Diamond** (murmured): "Agreed."

(Jocelyn returns with two glasses of water)

 **Jocelyn** (to Ladyhawk): "She looks dehydrated."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Good catch." (to Tara) "You have to be thirsty. Please drink."

 **Lady Blue** (taking the offered cup, with both hands): "T... thank you."

(she slowly drinks the entire cup, then sets it down)

 **Lady Blue** : "Thank you." (to Starforce, squeezing his hand hard) "Bob! Mark I!"

 **Starforce** : "I don't understand, Tara..."

 **Lady Blue** : "Mark I, Bob!"

(for both obvious and oblivious reasons, Bob continues to miss his Deduction roll)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Dr. Lemick, please calm down. We're going to get you to a doctor."

 **Lady Blue** : "Why are you being so nice to me, Julie Warbucks? I always treated you like crap for stealing Bob from me..."

(awkward pause. Jocelyn looks at Bob strangely)

 **Starforce** (to Jocelyn): "It's complicated."

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling to Tara): "I'll be back in a moment."

(she walks over to the other heroes)

 **Ladyhawk** (murmured): "She has a lot of bruising consistent with physical abuse. There's not a whole lot I can do for her here." (beat) "If we can get her back to Aviano, I can have her at the Fuseli Clinic in Dallas in under two hours."

 **Warlord** : "If you accompany me on a dual teleport, I can have her there in a third of the time."

 **Ladyhawk** (to Warlord): "Is the _Tashkent_ in range?"

 **Warlord** : "It will be by the time we get out from under this mountain." (to Blink) "Can you get us to the upper Hangar Bay?"

 **Blink** : "It'll take a couple of jumps, but yes."

 **Warlord** : "Can Dr. Lemick handle multiple teleports in her current condition?"

(Blink and Ladyhawk look at each other, then nod)

 **Blink** : "Now that she's stabilized, yes.

 **Warlord** : "Good. Mrs. Hawkins, could you accompany us?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "As soon as Bob hands me her suit."

(Starforce retrieves it from the corner of the lab where it was found)

 **Blink** (murmured to Ladyhawk): "Mrs. Hawkins? Have the doctors there rape-kit her once she's checked in."

 **Ladyhawk** (shocked): "You don't think..."

 **Blink** : "I'm afraid I do."

* * *

(Fuseli Clinic, Carrolton, TX. Two hours later)

(Julie is sitting in a waiting room, fidgeting. Matt comes out of an exam room, both haunted and angry, and sits down next to her)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well?"

(awkward pause)

 **Biomaster** (angry): "What did Menton DO to her?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "You want to do something to him in retribution? Get in line."

 **Biomaster** : "Physically she'll heal. The *psychological* scarring, however, may be with her for the rest of her life."

 **Ladyhawk** : "And... what about the other exam I suggested?"

 **Biomaster** (beat): "I had her rape-kitted like your colleague suggested." (beat) "Honestly, it was very difficult to tell anything."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Why?"

 **Biomaster** : "Because Dr. Lemick had given birth no more than a week ago."

(shocked pause)

 **Ladyhawk** (slowly): "So her babbling about a son WASN'T psychological torture Menton had inflicted? Oh my God..."

 **Biomaster** : "And the clues were staring us in the face all along. Remember last week? The obstetrics equipment you caught him purchasing in Switzerland?"

(beat, then Julie facepalms)

 **Biomaster** : "Don't beat yourself up over it, Julia. We ALL missed the significance."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Then where's the baby?" (beat, horrified) "Oh, my God! You don't think Menton killed him and disposed of the body?"

 **Biomaster** (darkly): "If he did I would INSIST on cutting to the front of the line."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. Breakfast, two days after the Battle of Alpenfestung)

(Bob kisses Julie and sits down next to her in the breakfast nook with a mug of coffee)

 **Starforce** : "Good morning."

 **Ladyhawk** (sliding an iPad over): "Here you go, sleepyhead. My schedule isn't going to change the harder I stare at it."

(Bob smiles and opens a newsfeed. Something catches his eye)

 **Starforce** : "Huh. That's interesting."

 **Ladyhawk** : "What?"

 **Starforce** (scrolling through the post): "You know how the Varanyi have been making sure the Perseid-Hzeel war STAYS between them and doesn't involve anyone else in our area of the Galaxy?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I remember Vikon mentioning something about it in his Christmas video."

 **Starforce** : "A Star Galleon in transit to the Neutral Zone had an engineering casualty. It limped into the Solar System overnight, and the Star*Guard base on Europa cleared them for Earth orbit to make repairs."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Any port in a storm?"

(Bob chuckles)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing): "If the Varanyi haven't contacted us or ProStar for spare parts by noon, should we be concerned?"

 **Starforce** : "I'm not sure our electrogravitics tech is compatible with theirs. Yet."

(Julie tilts her head, thinking about something. Bob notices this)

 **Starforce** : "What?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Would it be possible to have the Varanyi do psionic surgery on Dr. Lemick?"

 **Starforce** : "What, make her forget about everything Menton's done to her?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Duh."

 **Starforce** (beat, eyes widening): "Do we even have the *right* to determine what Tara's allowed to remember of her life?"

(shocked pause on Julie's part)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob, how COULD you? She was RAPED!"

(she gets up and slams her chair against the table)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing): "If YOU won't take Tara to the Varanyi, I *will*." (beat) "AFTER I kick your ass for refusing!"

(still angry, she stomps out of the breakfast nook)

* * *

(Main Lobby, ProStar HQ, Plano, TX. Lunch hour)

(Julie comes down an escalator from the Mezzanine Level as Bob enters from outside. Bob holds up a sack of Chinese food)

 **Ladyhawk** (hugs Bob): "Hi!"

 **Starforce** : "Over in the old Comstock Building again?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "There's another renovation going on."

(They start walking arm-in-arm toward the centerpiece display, featuring Bob's old fusion-powered Corvette from the 1980's)

 **Starforce** : "They just renovated LAST year!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Dear, that was the habitrail network addition. The company's grown so much we're getting really squeezed for space."

 **Starforce** : "Is ProStar going to have to move?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "The board's been trying to get us to do just that for a couple of years now." (beat) "It's not exactly like we CAN'T afford to buy one of the 7 remaining sites at Granite Park and build a new building with our current market capitalization."

 **Starforce** : "We've worked in this building our entire adult lives! I can't imagine being anywhere else..."

 **Ladyhawk** (looking over Bob's shoulder): "Wait one, special bulletin on the local channel."

(they move to the back of the crowd now accreting around a TV hanging in the lobby)

 **News Anchor** : "...are evacuating the area around Fair Park after the supervillain Menton took hostages there late this morning. Devonna Alexander is there now and we go to her live..."

 **Starforce** : "MENTON!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Oh my God. Biomaster's going to take the Texas Guard up against them!"

 **Starforce** : "I can hack the Biomobile's sensors from my lab. We've gotta find a way to take Menton down!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Let's go!"

(Julie grabs Bob's hand and they run off for the stairs)

* * *

(Fair Park, Dallas TX. One second later)

(The Biomobile is airborne and approaching Fair Park)

 **Chrona** : "Drones are deployed, relaying data."

 **Biomaster** (leaning over Chrona): "What can you tell me?"

 **Chrona** : "Menton is in front of the old Museum of Natural History building. He has some kind of forcewall around himself and the hostages. It appears to be generated by his suit."

 **Biomaster** (touching the screen): "Flash those coordinates to the pilot's station." (turning around and walking to the driver's seat) "Arachne, put us down at those coordinates and drive up to the perimeter of the forcewall."

 **Arachne** : "Got it."

(she glides the Biomobile down onto the ground, and shortly have driven up to a neo-classical building which saw its better days 20 years previously. Menton has a crowd of frightened people corraled in front of him with a glowing wall of force)

(Menton looks at the Biomobile with contempt as it stops just outside the forcewall)

 **Menton** : "I do not want would-be heroes in a flying tank. I want the SON OF ZERSTOITEN." (telekinetically picks up a random woman from the hostages corraled in front of him) "NOW!"

 **Chrona** (to Biomaster): "Well?"

 **Biomaster** : "If by that you are wondering why I am not contacting your father, I'm sure he's well aware of what's happening right now." (beat, muttered) "I'd honestly be surprised if he DOESN'T have the sensor drones back-doored."

 **Chrona** : "But he wants Dad! He's threatening those people unless he shows..."

 **Biomaster** (angry): "30 years ago, your parents didn't have THEIR parents to call on if I was too much for them to handle!"

 **Relativity** : "Well, we CAN'T let him hurt those people!"

 **Arachne** : "What are you going to DO, Nate? Offer *yourself* instead?"

 **Relativity** : "If that's what it takes."

(shocked pause)

 **Minuteman** (powering up, a golden glow beginning to surround his body): "This won't end well..."

 **Relativity** (walking over to the hatch, to Biomaster): "And DON'T tell me Mom or Dad never faced a dilemna like this. I know Dad would do the same thing in a hearbeat."

 **Biomaster** : "Suited up, your father is the next-best thing to invulnerable. You AREN'T!"

 **Relativity** : "I'm quicker than he is, though."

(Relativity pops the hatch and exits the Biomobile)

 **Relativity** (to Menton): "Will the Grandson of Zerstoiten do?"

 **Menton** (almost purring): "The Grandson?"

 **Relativity** : "Let them go. Take me, instead."

(tense pause)

 **Menton** : "I accept your generous offer, young man."

(he sets the woman down that he had in his telekinetic grip, and the forcewall that had kept the rest of his hostages from escaping dissipates. They run off in the opposite direction. As this is concluding, Arachne, Chrona, and Minuteman step out of the Biomobile)

 **Relativity** (hissing to his teammates): "Dammit, get back IN!"

 **Menton** (to Relativity): "Now then, Grandson of Zerstoiten..."

(Chrona half-move teleports to Menton and with her temporal manipulation powers reset for rapid punching, inflicts 12 STUN on him)

(Arachne misses Menton with her web-flash)

(Minuteman hits Menton with his Wave-Motion Blast for 19 STUN)

 **Menton** (to Chrona, using Mind Control): "Your glowing teammate is annoying. You need to slow him down a bit"

(Chrona shudders as she succumbs to Menton's influence, then hits Minuteman with a Drain SPD. Minuteman slows down and finally freezes, motionless)

 **Relativity** : "Arachne! TAKE DOWN CHRONA!"

 **Arachne** (bouncing off a nearby building while avoiding a Force Blast from Menton): "HOW? She's as tough as you are to bring down!"

 **Relativity** : "She can't affect what she can't see!"

 **Arachne** : "Got it!"

(Arachne half-move jumps to a better firing solution and hits Chrona with a web-flash. Chrona is now blinded for 5 phases)

 **Relativity** (to Arachne while running an evasive zig-zag): "KEEP MOVING! GET BEHIND MENTON!"

(Menton looks at Arachne. Power crackles around his head, then Arachne screams and jumps behind a concession booth to hide [Phobic Manipulation defined as Mental Illusion, only to make target experience their worst fear])

 **Biomaster** (muttered from within Biomobile): "DAMMIT!"

(he swivels the micro-grenade launcer and launches a neurotranq round, which misses)

(Menton gestures, and his Force Armor flares with power. The Biomobile jumps and rolls several times before crashing into a nearby exhibit hall)

 **Menton** (grinning sinisterly at Relativity): "Now, young man, it is just you and me. Shall we try this again?"

(Relativity runs not away from Menton, but TOWARD him, achieving surprise in combat and hitting for 7 STUN)

 **Relativity** (taking off deeper into Fair Park at full speed): "Only if you can catch me!"

* * *

(Bob Hawkins' lab, ProStar, Plano TX. The sign on the door reads 'Roll for initiative')

(Julie is looking at a live feed from the Fairgrounds on one monitor. Bob is using the big screen switching through spectral filters on the drones Biomaster has deployed)

 **Ladyhawk** (murmuring): "C'mon, Nathan. Keep moving, don't be a target..."

 **Starforce** (looking at the energy spectrum of Menton's armor): "Now WHY do I keep thinking that I've seen that before?"

(Bob slides the live window to the left and rapidly types a query on the keyboard. Another window appears on the big screen, this one containing a primitive representation of a power-armor suit with an almost identical energy pattern around it. Julie sees the title of that graphic is 'PROJECT STARFORCE MARK I ENERGY SPECTRUM ANALYSIS - AUGUST 1982')

 **Starforce** (murmured, adjusting parameters): "When you normalize Menton's, it looks *just* like the Mark I..."

(In his mind, a memory surfaces from August 1982. It's of the argument he was having with Tara before the Nerf battle that Julie interrupted [beginning of 'You All Meet in a Lab'], about whether a targeted attack against the suit's life support could trigger a cascade failure of the entire forcefield subsystem [in game mechanics, the *entire* forcefield subsystem is a unified power. Oops...])

(Bob FINALLY makes that Deduction Roll he's been missing since Lady Blue was rescued. His jaw drops open for one stunned moment, then he whoops hysterically)

 **Starforce** (jumping up and down, excited): "TARA! I could KISS you!!'

 **Ladyhawk** (turning away from her monitor): "What the hell, Nerd-boy?"

 **Starforce** (grabbing Julie by the shoulders): "Tara put an Achilles heel into the Force Armor and GOT IT PAST MENTON!!"

(Now it's Julie's turn to look shocked and awed)

 **Ladyhawk** (frantically): "Less talking! More suiting up!"

 **Starforce** (whipping smartphone out): "On it." (pulling up the House AI on the contacts list) "I can take him down solo in TWO seconds..."

 **House AI** (over phone): "Yes, Master?"

 **Starforce** : "Portal to home, these coordinates. Have my armor and Julie's armor ready."

* * *

(Fair Park, 30 seconds later)

(Relativity is frantically dodging forcebeams and psionic attacks from Menton at full speed. He misses the flare of pinkish-white light from a nearby exhibit hall)

 **Relativity** (internal monologue): [[think think THINK! Can I use debris to blind him and escape?]]

(he sees the remains of a concession stand that Menton has already smashed)

 **Relativity** (internal monologue): [[that will do]]

(before he can reach it, Menton's telekinesis sprays the debris out in a cloud in front of him. He trips, tumbles, and slides to a stop prone on the ground, CON-stunned)

(Ladyhawk somersaults over more debris in front of the exhibit hall as this happens and lands in a 3-point stance, katana in hand)

(Relativity shakes his head and tries to pick himself up. He freezes as he makes eye contact with Menton, hand raised and casually strolling toward him)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Get up, Nathan. GET UP!"

 **Menton** : "You fought valiantly young man." (beat, force beam warming up for discharge) "Allow me to grant you the gift of eternal peace."

(before Ladyhawk can scream, there is a blur of motion between Menton and Relativity. Instead of killing Relativity, Menton's 7d6 RKA Force Spear hits Starforce instead, inflicting only 3 STUN on *him*)

 **Starforce** (coldly, hovering just above the ground as his forcefield ripples): "Playtime's over, Alejandro."

(tense pause)

 **Menton** (almost purring): "Oh, but it has just begun, Dr. Hawkins!" (eyes flare as he uses 24d6 Mind Control) "Kneel before me, Son of Zerstoiten. Bow to your new master."

(a sparkle of energy shimmers across Starforce's forcefield. He shudders, lands, and slowly goes to one knee)

 **Ladyhawk** (small voice): "Bob, no!"

(a small muzzle pops up out of Starforce's left shoulder and glows. St. Elmo's fire dances over Menton's Force Armor as Starforce's EMP cannon takes out his Life Support system)

(Menton's Force Armor flashes, sparks, then abruptly shuts down. He looks at his now-dead suit with surprise, then at Starforce with alarm)

 **Starforce** (bringing both hands up, forcebeams building to discharge): "Sucker."

(Starforce 28d6 Martial Strike with TK does 15 BODY and 88 STUN to Menton after what's left of his defenses. He tumbles to a stop in front of a food concession stand for 35 more STUN damage. Menton is twisted, bleeding, and *quite* unconsious)

 **Relativity** : "Dad?"

 **Starforce** (coldly, standing up): "Help your teammates. I'll finish Menton."

(Starforce flash-steps down the debris trail left by Menton's body)

 **Relativity** : "I'm not sure there's that much of him left to finish."

* * *

(Fair Park, 30 seconds later)

 **Starforce** (shaking Menton telekinetically): "Wake up."

(Menton's eyes open)

 **Starforce** : "Look down."

(Menton looks down. He is without his Force Armor, and more importantly being held telekinetically half a foot above a very sharp metallic rod which has been hastily secured in a debris pile)

 **Starforce** : "Fry my mind and your body on that stake will be the top story on the evening news."

 **Menton** (gasping): "You should have killed me when you had the chance."

 **Starforce** (folding his arms): "Why? I have something *far* worse planned for you, Alejandro."

 **Menton** : "Nothing you can say or do will frighten me, son of Zerstoiten."

 **Starforce** : "Tell that to the Varanyi who will be psionically operating on you as soon as they make Earth orbit."

(the reference suddenly registers with Menton, and he starts having an 'Oh Crap' moment)

 **Starforce** (cheerfully demented): "Oh, look! UNTIL's here with your hot-sleep capsule!"

(an UNTIL combat squad trots up to them and stops, towing a rounded cylinder on a motorized gurney)

 **UNTIL team lead** : "Just lower him in, Starforce. We'll take it from here."

(Starforce nods, then looks at Menton as he lowers him in)

 **Starforce** (to Menton, cheerfully demented): "Pleasant dreams."

(the team closes the capsule and activates it. Tense pause as the capsule starts humming)

 **Random Agent** (to team lead): "Prisoner secure, sir."

 **Starforce** (to team lead, actually sounding normal now): "You don't mind if I come along?"

 **UNTIL team lead** : "Not at all."

 **Starforce** : "We need to swing by the Fuseli Clinic before the Varanyi arrive. There's a patient there who also requires psionic surgery."

* * *

**EPILOGUE** : six hours later

(Great Room, Stately Dormyer Manor. The members of the Texas Guard are collapsed in various seats and couches. Shina has just completed drink service to everyone)

 **Relativity** : "Our first battle and it was a disaster."

 **Arachne** : "We saved the civilians that Menton took hostage. I wouldn't be that harsh."

 **Relativity** : "I ORDERED you to take down my *own* *sister* in combat!"

 **Biomaster** : "Which you had enough presence of mind to do before she took all of *you* down." (beat) "You are forgetting that we took on the most powerful psionic on the planet, augmented with a suit of powered armor the equal of anything your father has ever built. We're still alive. Off-hand, I'd call that a win."

 **Ladyhawk** : "When Bob gets back from his meeting with the Varanyi, we need to sit all of you down and tell you about Amchitka."

 **Minuteman** : "The Day of the Destroyer?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes." (darkly) "There's a reason it's become legendary in superheroic history."

 **Arachne** : "But you won!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "90 percent of humanity came within SIX seconds of dying that day. It never should have been that close. Or with as high a body count as we suffered."

(awkward pause)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing): "A lot went wrong at Amchitka. Badly, horribly, and *terribly* wrong. We learned from it. Learn from your mistakes today."

 **Chrona** : "Mom, it's not just that Menton wiped the floor with all of us. It's Dad coming in and taking him out with one shot! How do you think that makes US feel?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Menton's armor had an Achilles heel built into it which your father figured out in barely enough time to save your lives." (beat) "If he *hadn't*, how do you think WE would have felt?"

(the Texas Guard looks at Ladyhawk, dumbfounded)

 **Chrona** : "So Dad basically cheated?"

(Julie looks at her daughter strangely, then looks at Biomaster)

 **Ladyhawk** : "You NEVER taught them Jameson's rules of superheroic combat?"

 **Biomaster** : "I wasn't aware that Ted had any."

 **Ladyhawk** : "And you call yourself a TASK FORCE alumnus..."

 **Biomaster** : "I was a member for only one day!" /* 'The Battle of Detroit' */

 **Ladyhawk** (sighs): "Fine." (to the Texas Guard): "Jameson's Third Rule of Superheroic Combat. If you're in a fair fight, you've done something wrong."

(beat, then Minuteman starts laughing. His teammates eventually join him)

 **Minuteman** : "What are his other rules?"

* * *

/* and now, I have to appease the StarBlue shippers ([cough]Ray[/cough]) */

(Varanyi Star Galleon _G'U'Radic_ , Earth Orbit)

(Starforce shepherds the motorized gurney containing the hot-sleep capsule towards the ship's brig. Menton is being held in a cell, and he appears to be screaming and throwing himself against the cell's walls. Ship's doctor D'Brel Ch'ggeb Koraskin watches impassively from the brig's lobby)

 **D'Brel** : ((Dr. Hawkins))

 **Starforce** : ((sir))

(D'Brel wordless flips a control on the security console in the lobby. The microphone in Menton's cell goes live)

 **Menton** (screaming): "HELP ME! I CAN'T SENSE ANYONE'S MIND! MAKE IT STOP!!"

(D'Brel kills the mike)

 **D'Brel** : ((Couldn't you have killed him?))

 **Starforce** : ((Yes.))

 **D'Brel** : ((Why not?))

 **Starforce** : ((The day I die, I have to stand before God and answer for everything I've done in my life. I don't want that moment to be any more worse than it's going to be.))

(The Varanyi are not repulsed by human religion, because the human 'God' has been rendered as the Varanyi "Yinda'r" during mental translation)

 **D'Brel** : ((A mind-blind race such as yours doesn't appreciate how central his powers were to him. Death would have been more humane...))

 **Starforce** : ((I may be mind-blind, but I view life as a gift. I gave his back to him when it was legally mine to take.))

(he turns away from the cell and starts to walk away, leaving the hot-sleep capsule behind)

 **Starforce** (continuing): ((How he chooses to spend that gift is no longer my problem.))

(he reaches the door, but Lady Blue is blocking his way)

 **Lady Blue** : "There you are, Bob!"

 **Starforce** : "I didn't know you were out of surgery."

 **Lady Blue** : "Would you mind telling me where we are?"

 **Starforce** : "Earth orbit, onboard a Varanyi Star Galleon."

 **Lady Blue** : "I already figured THAT out from all the head crests and overall silence." (beat) "A better question would be *why* am I here?"

(awkward pause)

 **Starforce** : "What day is it, Tara? Date and year?" 

**Lady Blue** : "March 26th, 2012."

 **Starforce** (relieved): "Good. The Varanyi did exactly what I asked them to do."

 **Lady Blue** (making an INT roll): "You're about to tell me that it isn't the date that I think it is. Right?"

 **Starforce** : "Got it in one." (beat) "Today is February 6th, 2013."

 **Lady Blue** : "And why am I not remembering 10 months of my life?"

 **Starforce** (moving aside): "Because of him."

(Tara now sees Menton screaming in silence as the Varanyi wheel the hot-sleep capsule into his cell)

 **Lady Blue** : "Is that Menton?"

 **Starforce** : "It was."

 **Lady Blue** : "What happened to him?"

 **Starforce** : "I had the Varanyi depower him." (leads Tara out of the Brig) "He didn't take it well."

(they walk down the corridor slowly for a moment)

 **Lady Blue** (beat): "What did Menton do to me that I required ten months of amnesia?"

 **Starforce** : "Horrible things, both physically and mentally. That's all you need to know."

 **Lady Blue** (beginning to get angry): "And WHAT gave you the right to determine what I should remember of my life?"

 **Starforce** : "I wasn't sure that it *was* my right."

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Lady Blue** : "What changed your mind?"

 **Starforce** : "Julie said she'd kick my ass if I didn't make them."

 **Lady Blue** : "Oh." (beat, stops walking) "Now what?"

 **Starforce** : "What do you mean?"

 **Lady Blue** : "Now that you've healed me from whatever Menton did, this is the part of the story where you take me back to Earth and finally turn me in to the authorities. Right?"

(long pause, held gaze. Almost without realizing it, Starforce puts his hands on her shoulders) 

**Starforce** : "I believe a five-minute head start is traditional."

(Lady Blue's eyes grow wide behind her mask)

 **Lady Blue** : "WHAT?!? You never chased me the last time you said that!"

 **Starforce** : "Four minutes, fifty-five seconds, Lemick. Main Teleport is on Deck 5, station 100, and the clock's..."

(Lady Blue abruptly grabs Starforce in mid-sentence and kisses him. His eyes grow wide, then hers do when Starforce suddenly shifts his grip into a tight embrace and returns the kiss with equal passion)

(They *finally* break for air after a long moment. There is another long pause as they share a very surprised gaze)

 **Starforce** (softly, letting go): "Four minutes, ten seconds, Tara."

(there is a gust of air as she flash-steps to the end of the corridor. She stops for a moment and looks back at him before she flies off around the corner)

* * *

(fin)

**Author's Note:**

>  **GAMING NOTE** : The battle between Menton and Starforce
> 
> The narrative of Starforce and Menton's battle is different from most battles that I write in that I did not include most of the roll results in it. This is how that battle looked as I gamed it.
> 
> Segment 2. Menton has a physical action at DEX 30. Starforce, his forcefield already allocated to 50 ED/30 MentalD, wins the roll-off at DEX 30, but holds his phase. Menton attacks Relativity with a Force Spear as written, whereupon Starforce half-move flash-steps into the way and takes the RKA himself for 3 STUN. He then uses the rest of his phase to reallocate his forcefield to 60 MentalD, 20 PowerD.
> 
> Segment 3. Menton has a mental action at EGO 40 which beats Starforce at DEX 30. Menton attempts a 24d6 mind-control on Starforce ("Kneel before me, Son of Zerstoiten...") for 14 points of effect on Starforce after *all* his current mental defenses. Since Starforce's EGO is 28, nothing happens.
> 
> Starforce at DEX 30 proceeds to expend half a phase kneeling to make Menton believe his Mind Control has worked before letting him have it with his EMP Cannon (set for 22d6 Dispel Life Support). Menton's life support fails, and since it's bought through a "Unified Power" limitation, takes out everything it's unified with. Unfortunately for Menton, the life support is unified with his forcefield and enhanced physical stats -- exactly as Lady Blue intended when she was forced to rebuild it for him.
> 
> Segment 4. Nobody goes. Menton's growing horror at how screwed he is right now is a free action.
> 
> Segment 5. Menton should have a physical action in this phase, but thanks to his Force Armor shutting down has to wait for DEX 20. Unfortunately for him, Starforce goes first at DEX 30 and hammers Menton as written with a 28d6 TK Martial Strike, for the damage after defenses listed in the narrative. End of battle.


End file.
